AMP RE-VAMP FROM CARLSBRO

Probably Britain's best-selling small P.A. mixer-amp, the Carlsbro Marlin has undergone a complete revision as part of a new line-up of gear from the Notts.—based manufacturer.

The Marlin keeps the same name, but now comes as a six channel unit, in 150 and 300 watt versions at prices of £294.11 and £392.15, respectively. Facilities now include a tape record/replay DIN socket (wonder why they chose the unfortunate DIN system?), high balanced Low inputs per channel, reverb and FX control per channel, two separate FX loops, built-in reverb and, good news this, a two year guarantee. Looks like an excellent package at the price!

Also part of the new range is a Bass amp, the Stingray 150, which will come as either a head or cab. Details include High and Low inputs, 150 watts output, 5 band graphic, built-in variable compressor, balanced D.I./Line output socket, FX loop and, again, a two year guarantee. The head will retail at £213.90 and a combo version (with a 15" speaker in a ported enclosure) will come out at £347.59.

More details from Carlsbro Sales Ltd., (Contact Details).

Free plug with every Crombie

Veteran (no not veterinarian, you twerp!) MUSIC U.K. keyboard scribe, Dave Crombie, has (as regular readers will know) departed these fertile pastures to open a shop of his own, called Cromatix. Just to be nice to him (better than paying his bills, we reckon!) the party cadre of the MUSIC U.K. Editorial Politburo has decided to give his new venture a — gasp — free-plug (wonder if he'll do the same when you buy whatever it is he's selling down there?).

Seriously, though, Dave is to be ably assisted by Howard Brain (ex-general manager of Rod Argent's keyboards) and they will be unloading (whoops!, sorry lads, selling) all the latest (it says here) synths, electronic pianos, rhythm machines, electronic drums, synths, computer music systems and home recording gear.

The new shop is at (Contact Details). You can 'phone them on (Contact Details). Good luck Cromatix!

Change of status for Strata bass

The superlative British-made Strata bass and guitar are about to undergo a change of name — to the Status, we understand from maker Rob Green and the people down at Soundwave.

At the same time, the retail side of Soundwave (long established as one of the bass specialists in the country) is about to undergo a major change, when they join forces with Wapping-based Bass Mate, who are at (Contact Details). The new venture will be opening in very early January as The Bass Centre. In the meantime production levels of the Trace Elliot bass range are being stepped-up to meet demand. Manufacturing will remain at Soundwave, (Contact Details), but the Bass Centre could be one place to look for that new instrument.

NEW STAGE SYSTEM FROM E-V

An ultra-high quality portable 'stage speaker system', the Stage 200, has just been launched by manufacturers Electro-Voice. A constant directivity system, the new E-V is also useful as a monitoring enclosure, we understand.

Housed in a virtually indestructable black moulded plastic cabinet, the Stage 200 weighs about 35lbs. and measures around 15.2"x 24.5"x 8.75". Sound pressure levels are claimed to exceed a staggering 120dB @ 1 metre on axis, with what the makers claim to be a well defined 100° horizontal and vertical coverage zone in the range from 500 — 10,000Hz — in other words, uniform audience coverage without hot zones or dead spots. The system can handle a genuine 300 watts without frying, and contains a high output version of the E-V 'Super Dome' tweeter with a moulded-in H.F. directional flare and one of the new 'Pro-Line' 12S units as a woofer. The Stage 200 has a crossover network of a 12dB/octave dual section type with the Xover point at 2,000Hz.

The new Electro-Voice can be used either with or without an add-on equaliser. Minus this, the frequency range is from 90 to 18,000 Hz. The optional active equaliser expands the bass end down to 50Hz. Alternatively, the Stage 200 can be switched to its high-output mode and used as a super-efficient floor monitor, again without the equaliser. Prices work out at £420 inc. VAT for the Stage 200, £126 inc. VAT for the equaliser or £920 inc VAT for a complete package. Further details from Shuttlesound, (Contact Details).

Morse code from DiMarzio?

Just launched are new pickups from Americans DiMarzio — the Signature Series. These have been specially designed for three top U.S. players, Steve Morse, Rick Derringer and Al Di Meola and will come as follows. The Steve Morse DP200, for the lead position in a Telecaster, the Al Di Meola (neck, DP 201, bridge, DP 202) and the Rick Derringer (neck DP 203, bridge 204). Price will be £62 each. All models have four conductor wiring plus a split coil facility, a spec, document, individual test report and a profile of the artist.

More gen. from Rose, Morris & Co. on (Contact Details).

KORG Retro fit

Good news for Korg owners — the midi interface system is to be made available early next year as a retro-fit on all Poly 61's. The Midi system enables synths to interface with other Midi-equipped brands, computers, joysticks, sustain pedals etc. Unfortunately, but understandably, the Midi will not be offered as a do-it-yourself package — only appointed Korg Key Centres will be able to fit it. Details of the Midi add-on from Rose, Morris & Co. (Contact Details).

FREEDOM FIGHTER ON BBC 2 - WATCH IT

Nothing but admiration can be our reaction to the news that Bournemouth-based band Freedom Fighter (all but one of whom suffer from muscular dystrophy) are to have their story recounted on BBC 2 at 7.00 p.m. on Thursday, December 15th.

Freedom Fighter are, in fact, working as part of a registered charity, helping to raise money 'for the furtherance of music in disabled young persons'. Money raised from gigs and sales of the band's first album 'Freedom Fighter Lives Forever' go towards the future establishment of a house where members of the band can begin to establish a residential home for disabled young people who hope to build a career in contemporary music.

Freedom Fighter are (left to right) Bernie Hayles (Lead guitar), Darryl George, (Rhythm guitar), Alvin George (Drums/Vocals), Mark Sawyer, (Bass) and organiser/manager (also keyboard player, vocals and the only able-bodied member of the band) Claudette Evans.

The proceeds of the band's first album (which can be bought for £3 plus 50p. post and packing) go to the charity, as will those from their next release Clarence — His Story, due soon.

Freedom Fighter's ambitions to help other disabled players can also be assisted with gifts of musical instruments (not necessarily expensive ones, more those suited for beginners) as well as help from teachers of modern music. Any reader who feels they can help (and that includes buying the band's album) can contact them care of Claudette Evans at (Contact Details). DO try to catch that T.V. programme, won't you!

YORKSHIRE VIRGINS IN SPACE — BY GUM

There's no stopping Virgin Records, Richard Branson's sprawling empire. They've just announced the formation of a cable T.V. deal with Yorkshire Television which will take them into space via satellite links, destined to cover the whole of Europe with a 24 hour a day music channel. Good God — not PIL uber al les!

'The Music Channel' (original — eh?) will be broadcasting by June '84 with a linkup through the planned Rediffusion system. The implications of the merged interests aren't clear yet but it looks like a protective move, designed to cope with the anticipated small market demand when the U.K. finally gets its cable T.V. system. Apparently SATV will be broadcasting a programme imaginatively dubbed the 'Cable Countdown' (yawn) from the Music Channel alongside an EMI offering, even less enterprisingly to be called 'Music Box' (who do these people employ?!).

The Yorkshire/Virgin pairing looks like being primarily aimed at le Continong (chortle!) so if next Summer you find yourself besieged by angry French, Dutch, Italian, German and Lichten-steinian music lovers, please send them round to Virgin, will you?

Another major record company is probably about to join the happy couple, next month, along with a newspaper, a film company and a book publisher. What effects all this will have on live music, record sales, royalties and suchlike can only be guessed at, thus far, but more info will be announced as it arrives.

C-DUCER FOR PROS (Whoops!)

C-Tape Developments, the transducer people, have just come-out with a new professionally orientated system employing their brilliant 'flexible mike on a tape' principle. Dubbed the CX range, the product comes in versions suited to guitar, mandolin and so on, drum kits, congas, bongos and suchlike, double bass, cello, violin, piano, harp, harpsichord etc., is housed in an extruded metal enclosure and comes in a carrying case. The CX is a phantom powered device with a power source being available in the event of a user having no suitable 48V supply on his mixer. Signal to noise ratio is a claimed 79dBA with an astounding frequency response, quoted as 45Hz up to 22kHz with distortion at 0.05% (below clipping) at any frequency within the stated range into any load impedance!

Mono, stereo and 6-channel formats are offered with a price of £155, including case, handbook, electronics and C-Ducer mikes for the stereo system.

Further information from C-Tape Developments Ltd. Transducer Laboratories, (Contact Details).

Performing Siel

New from Italian keyboard makers Siel is an electronic piano, the PX. Having a fully polyphonic keyboard and 42 keys, the PX is completely electronic, with a touch-sensitive keyboard. Ten pre-set sounds are provided with effects ranging from grand piano to ragtime to percussive electric piano. The instrument also has two extra effects, a stereo chorus and a tremolo system, the latter of which can be switch ed in with Siel's foot pedal, which also provides sustain. A split keyboard facility is also standard on the PX, enabling a double bass sound on the two lower octaves, with its own volume control. There are three outputs; Line 1 — Mono, Line 2 — Stereo and headphones.

Price of the Siel PX is £749 (inc. VAT) and further details can be obtained from Siel (U.K.) Ltd. at (Contact Details).

New Alligators — for playing scales?

Following hard on the heels of their excellent priced Seiwa guitars (see our review in the October issue), the Alligator people have launched their own U.K.-made guitar and bass — the SM1 and JM1 — both priced at £495. Initial production includes six models with specially engraved plates on the neck commemorating Alligator's 1st Anniversary. Visually the Alligators are unusual, with a very angular design and, would you believe, a green finish, which even extends to pickups from the celebrated Kent Armstrong — who else? All the hardware is handmade from brass, with the exception of gold-plated Schaller machine heads. The SM1 guitar features a rock maple neck, with the main body sections of seasoned ash, butting onto a laminate of maple and rosewood with a centre block of maple. Fascinatingly, the guitar has a clever range of controls. They begin with a 3-way either/or selector, each pickup having its own volume control, the bass having its own tone pot. Thus far it's straight enough, but there's also a 'solo' switch, which overrides existing volume settings to provide a solo with extra punch. There's a push/pull phase selector system plus a single/twin coil facility on either or both pickups.

The bass is similarly constructed but features twin Armstrong humbucking pickups which can be set single coil together or separately. An active powered type, the JM1 has a 6 position tone selector plus a green (of course!) LED which shows when the power is switched on. It's a medium scale instrument. Further details of both new Alligators can be obtained from the Musicians Direct Supply Co. who are at (Contact Details).

NUCLEAR FUSION

Top Scottish bands like Nazareth, Skids and Big Country have all helped the local scene in Fife grow into a particularly lively area for music. Local guitar repairers Fusion Guitars (headed by Ron Graff — see the above pic.) have grown along with them and have just signed an exclusive agreement with retailers Sound Control, to undertake all repairs, customising and refinishing, for their three shops (in Edinburgh, Dunfermline and Kircaldy).

Fusion have expanded into other areas too, we hear, with a guitar playing instruction programme. A new Tascam 34 has just been installed for the production of teaching cassette tapes and this facility will be available free to any Fusion students!

More info. On either their guitar services or the tuition scheme can be got from Ron or Cathy at Fusion Guitars, (Contact Details).